LA PLUME, Pa. – The Delaware Valley University women's volleyball team battled through five sets to earn a hard-fought victory over Keystone, using a dominant opening set and strong finishes in the third and fifth sets to secure the win.
The Aggies established their rhythm early in the opening set, with a kill from
Patricia Schwab Garrido and a service ace from
Hayley Drinkard helping DelVal keep pace with the Giants. After Keystone held an early advantage,
Zoe Bera delivered a kill and followed with a service ace to spark an 8-1 run that put the Aggies in front, 14-2. DelVal continued to build its lead with kills from
Charlotte Kampf,
Monique Smith and
Layla-Deanna Rabanal, along with another ace from Drinkard. Rabanal added three more kills late in the set before
Madison Alexander put the finishing touch on a convincing 25-17 opening-set victory with a kill.
The second set featured a back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to create much separation. Kills from Smith, Rabanal, Kampf, Alexander and
Camilla Garcia kept the Aggies within striking distance as the teams' traded points through several ties. Keystone pushed ahead late, but DelVal battled back to even the score at 22-22 and 23-23. Rabanal's kill brought the Aggies within two points of taking the set, and a Giants error put DelVal in position to close it out. Keystone responded with consecutive kills, however, to claim the set, 26-24.
DelVal responded in the third set by taking control early. Kills from Garcia and service aces from Alexander helped the Aggies jump out to a 6-0 lead. Smith, Bera and Kampf continued to fuel the offense during a 6-1 run, capped by back-to-back service aces from
Samantha Wilton to extend the advantage. Keystone added 11 points down the stretch, but the Aggies maintained a comfortable cushion with four kills and two additional service aces to secure the set, 25-14.
The Giants answered in the fourth set, overcoming an early DelVal push to regain momentum. Kills from Alexander and a service ace from Bera helped the Aggies take a 9-7 lead, and Alexander teamed with Garcia and Kampf to keep DelVal in front after Keystone evened the score. The Giants then broke through with a 7-1 run to seize control before closing the set with another 8-2 surge, forcing a decisive fifth set with a 25-17 win.
With the match on the line, Kampf opened the fifth set with a kill to spark a 7-3 DelVal run. Keystone responded with three consecutive points, but the Aggies quickly shut the door on a comeback attempt. Two kills from Rabanal and four service aces from Wilton powered an 8-0 run that put DelVal firmly in control and sealed the decisive set, 15-6.
The Aggies return home next week to close out the season, hosting Marywood in their second-to-last conference contest on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.
